The present invention is directed to electrical connectors.
With increasing use of modular assembly techniques for electrical systems and the like, electrical connectors have become more and more important. Further, with this increase in importance, it has become necessary to improve the structures and techniques for mass production in order that reliable and inexpensive electrical connectors can be provided.
To reduce the cost of such electrical connectors, it has been known to cast contacts into connector heads such that they extend rearwardly of the connector head for association with a separate multiple termination module. The multiple termination modules are often heat recoverable and employ a socket for assembly with the back end of a connector head such that the cast-in-place contacts extend into the multiple termination module. Conductor ends may then be terminated against these contacts in the multiple termination module. The multiple termination module is capable of recovery to tightly hold the conductor ends and the contacts in contact with each other during the soldering operation.
The practice of incorporating heat shrinkable multiple termination modules with separate connector heads has been found to be satisfactory for the fabrication of electrical connectors. However, the several parts involved must be separately fabricated and assembled. The separate fabrication and later assembly is inevitably time consuming and may lead to undesired variations in quality of the final product.